We find other bishops
writing strong reprimands to other Churches. Bishop Dionysius of Corinth wrote
to the Athenians “censuring them” and to Bishop Palmas of Amastris he “directs”
a policy on repentance (Eusebius, The Church History [trans. Paul Maier;
Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel, 1999], p. 159). We should also mention the many
bishops who “sharply rebuked” Bishop Victor of Rome in the affair of the
Asiatic Churches (Ibid., p. 198). The relationship between Rome and Corinth was
that of capital and colony. As a result, the Roman Church could certainly write
that refusal to reinstate the legitimate clergy was a serious offence. In
short, a comparison of Clement’s letter with similar correspondence yields
nothing in favor of ‘an early Papal decretal.’ (Laurent Cleenewerck, His
Broken Body: Understanding and Healing the Schism Between the Roman Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox Churches (An Orthodox Perspective) [Washington D.C.:
Euclid University Consortium Press, 2007], 150)
